Machine for plaiting fabric, particularly rubber fabric.



A. I. WILLS, DEC'D.

51.8. WILLSIEXECUTRIX.

MACHINE FOR PLAITING'FABIIIC, PARTICULARLY RUBBER FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3|. I9I6 1,281,463.. Patented 00t.15, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. J. WILLS, DECD.

, M. B. mus. EXECUTRIX.

MACHINE FOR PLAITING FABRIC, PARHCULARLY RUBBER FABRIC.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 31. IBIS 1,281,463. Patented Oct. 15, I918.

I I y: e

v A. J. WILLS, DEC'D.

m. B. wms. EXECUTRIX. MACHINE FOR PLAITING FABRIC. PARTICULARLY RUBBER FAB Patented Oct. 15, I918.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3|. 1916 1,21,463.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3- A. I. WILLS, DECD.

M. B- WILLS. EXiCUIRIX. "MACH INE FOR PLAITING FABRIC. PARTICULARLY RUBBER FABRIC. APPLICATION FILED MA Y'SI. I9I6 I 1,281,463. Patented 00$. 10, 1918.

.4 SHEETS-SHEE'I 4.

IIIIIII nnirnn sra'rns Parana canton.

ARTHUR WILLS, 0F BROOKFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS; MABEL BARTON WILLS EXECUTRIX OF SAID ARTHUR J. WILLS, DECEASED.

MACHINE FOR PLAITING FABRIC. PARTICULARLY RUBBER FABRIC.

Application filed May 31, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. VVILLs, of Brookfield, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Plaiting Fabric, Particularly Rubber Fabric, of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture of rubber bathing caps, other rubber apparel and the like demand has come for trimming which shall be plaited, and heretofore this demand has been supplied by hand-made material.

My invention relates to a machine especially adapted to plait a strip of rubber to make such trimming, the plaited material being tacked, that is, put under heavy pressure at the moment the plait is made so that the adhesive quality of the unvulcanized or semi-vulcanized material may be utilized to keep the plaits in proper condition until such time as they are attached to the articles to be trimmed. a

My invention will be understood by reference to the drawings in which it is shown in its preferred form, for I realize that I feature of it may be embodied in a variety of ways. Figure 1 is a front elevation embodying my invention, the shaft being shown in section.

Fig.. 2- is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken from the left side of the machine as. shown in Fig. 2.

'an intermittent movement by a pawl E Fig. 4 is a side elevation looking from the opposite side, the guideway being removed.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the shaft showing the arrangement of cams upon the shaft.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are cross sections taken on lines 6-6,J77 and 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are details showing operations of the machine upon the fabric.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the finished fabric, r

Fig. 14 being a cross section thereof.

A is a base on which is mounted a frame comprising two standards A A connected at the bottom by the piece A which rests on the base A, the standards serving as bearings for the shaft B and providing guideways for certain of the parts as below described. One end of the shaft B carries a pulley C by which power is applied to run' the shaft. The other end carries a Specification of Letters Patent.

of a machine- Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Serial No. 100,837.

hand-wheel C attached to the shaft by a set screw 0, this hand-wheel enabling the shaft to be moved when not under power. On the front end of the shaft is a sleeve C which is made fast with one of the standards A by means of the set screw 0 and within which the shaft-turns.

Mounted on the sleeve C to turn thereon is the plaiting wheel D. This wheel coniprises a disk from the face of which projects a series of pins (1, each pin being preferably set into a suitable opening in one face of the plait'ing wheel and held in place by a set screw'a". In the rear of the. plaiting wheel and attached thereto is a ratchet E having a number of teeth corresponding with the number of ins (I. The plaiting wheel D, while itis ree to move about the sleeve (P, is frictionally connect ed thereto as by a suitable strip D of fiber board or the like, which lies in a recess in the plaiting wheel and rests on the sleeve, bearing on the said strip, and extending radially to the periphery of the plaiting wheel is a screw d Whereby'the frictional. contact between the strip D which is part of theplaiting wheel D, and the sleeve C may be adjusted, this construction being such that upon the rotation of the ratchet which is free to turn upon the shaft B, the.

plaiting wheel will be rotated therewith, but

will otherwise not be moved in the ordinary movement of the machine. .The ratchet and plaitingwheel are given projecting from the standard A.

It will be seen that rotation of the shaft will cause the raising of the free end of the rocking member F and the pawl E and a consequentrotary movement of the ratchet E and plaiting wheel D, the cam, however, being of such shape that the plaiting wheel D will be moved only the distance of one pin d.

tal portion A looped between standard A there H is a presser foot mounted upon the member F so that it rocks therewith as will be below described.

Between the plaiting wheel D and the is mounted to turn on the sleeve C a presser table G, this table having a rocking motion which is given to it by means of a lever G mounted on the horizonof the frame and fulcrumed at g. It is connected at one end by the link G zto the presser table and at-the other end to a slide G This slide runs in a suitable guideway in the standard A being held in place bystraps g and being maintained in its upper position by means of thespring 9 one end of which is attached to it, the other end being attached to the strap {1 This slide is operated by a cam G of suit-' able shape and engaging a cam roll 9 mounted on a pin connected to the slide G by an arm 9 The radius of the presser table at its front or working end, that is the end farthest from its connection with the link G is nearly sufficient to reach the circle of pins d upon the plaiting wheel D, the distance, however, between the presser tableand the pins being about double the thickness of the material to be plaited, and this radius is maintained rearwardly from that point for the distance of five or more pins, when it abruptly terminates at a shoulder g and from that point rearwardly the diameter of the presser' table, is less in order to facilitate the removal of the plaited fabric therefrom.

The plunger by which the material is the pins d is shown at J and comprises a plate somewhat wider than the length of the'pins d and sufficiently thin to carry the fabric down between two of the pins. This plunger is mounted upon a frame ',comprisi11g a horizontal member J having a vertical arm J which passes down between straps J 3 supported upon the standard A This vertical member J carries a cam roll riding on a cam J this cam being mountedon the shaft Bto rotate constantly therewith. A spring J the lower end of which is attached to the frame A and its upper end to a projection from the arm J holds the cam roll against the cam.

The tacker comprises a member K attached to a downwardly-projecting end of the'horizontal member K of a slide K This slide K is supported in guideways formed by the straps J and is held in its uppermost position by a spring is, one end of which is attached to the slide K and the other to one of the straps J Movement is given to this tacker K by means of the cam roll 7-1 at tached to the slide K and the cam K mounted on the shaft B.

The tacker is somewhat concaved at its lower surface to cooperate with the curve of the presser tab-1e. It is provided with teeth so that it is adapted to engage the fabric beguide table L, the other low it and apply pressure to the fabric. the fabric being supported by the pins and the presser table. It is well known. that layers of thin sheet rubber if slightly vulcanized are capable of being stuck together under pressure. and by means ofthe tacker, the presser table and the pins the product is fastened in plaitcd condition for further vulcanization or manufacture. The tacker K as shown is a thin plate of about the thickness of t of an inch, though it may be somewhat thicker, and the material which has passed under it and been engaged by its lower edge has all the appearance of being tacked.

L is a guide table located to feed the material to be plaited to the machine, and as shown it is provided with an adjustable wall L slotted and attached to it by screws Z so that the material may be properly fed to the machine. H

The operation of my machine is as follows The machine being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the material M is fed in over the guide table L under the presser foot H, and at the start the end is carried along by hand as shown in M in Fig. 9 for a sufficient distance so that it may be held by thehand of the operator until the plaiting is sufficiently well begun so-that the machine has acquired a hold on the material. The first step is'the downward thrust of the plunger which pushes a loop-m of the material between two of the pins d, which serve as a work support, thus carrying it within the circle of the pins 'on'the plaitmg wheel (see Fig. 10). The plunger getsits slack from the free end of the fabric M, which is drawn in over the end of the fabric being held by the tacker, and when the plunger, has reached the extreme of its movement the presser foot falls andbinds the fabric against one of the said pins so that the plunger will not withdraw the fabric on its upward movement. The

shown in its upper position in Fig. 9 when the plunger is beginning its down stroke.

while in Fig. 10 the plunger has completed its stroke and the presser foot clal'nps the material. The tacker K rises when the plunger is about to rise, while the presser tablethe work between it and the presser table,.

and the operation is repeated. It will be seen that each plant is impressed bythe tacker several times as the plaiting wheel presser foot is prising a plait-ing wheel having a plurality moves around step by step so that it is quite firmly stuck in place by the natural cohesion of the fabric.

All that finished material which is to the left (see Figs. 912) of the tacker is quite loosely held on the pins cl and may be easily slipped off therefrom by the operator as may be desirable, so that the wheel D is never blocked with finished material. This is due to the fact that the rear partof the presser table is of less diameter than the front thereof.

I have shown above the best form of my invention now known to me, but the various elements may be diflerently operated to produce the desired result. It is evident, for example, that if the material to be plaited be something other, than rubber other tacking means might be substituted for that shown, or the edge of the material may be gummed and the material run through the machine in such a way that the plaited gummed edge will come under the stitcher. in the machine which will fall within the scope of the claims will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

'What I claim as. my invention is 1. A machine of the kind described comprising a work support, means for giving it an intermittent rotary movement, a looping mechanism, and a tacking mechanism.

. 2. A machine of the kind described comprising a work support, means for giving it an intermittent rotary movement, a loop ng mechanism, clamping means operable in connection with said looping mechanism to hold the fabric against said work support, and a tacking mechanism. a I

3. A machine of the kind described, com- Other changes prising a guide table, a work support, a

looping mechanism, a presser table, a presser foot operable in connection with said looping mechanism to hold the fabric upon said presser table, and a tacking mechanism.

4. Amachine of the kind described, comprising a feeding mechanism, a work support comprising a plaiting mechanism having a plurality of pins extending horizontally outward from its external vertical surface, a looping mechanism, and a tacking mechanism.

5. A machine of the kind described, comprising a work support comprising a plaiting wheel having a series of horizontal pins extending outwardly near the periphery of its external vertical surface, means for impart-ing an intermittent movement to said wheel, a looping mechanism, and a tacking mechanism. I

6. A machine of the kind described, comof horizontal pins extending outwardly near the periphery of its external vertical face, a looping mechanlsm, a presser table adjacent said wheel, means'for moving said ing mechanism.

wheel whereby said wheel will be moved but the distance of one pin at a time, and a tacking mechanism.

7. A machine of the kind described, com prising a guide table, a work support, means for imparting an intermittent movement thereto, a presser table located adjacent said work support and adapted to have a rocking movement and during said'movement in one direction to press the work against said work support, and movetherewith, a looping mechanism, and a tacking mechanism.

8. A machine of the kind described, comprising a work support, means for imparting an intermittent rotary movement thereto, a presser table located adjacent said work support, means for imparting an oscil dating movement to said presser table, said movement in one direction pressing the work held by the work support and in the opposite direction being with the work support and work, a looping mechanism, and a tack- 9. A machine of the kind described, comprising a work support, means for imparting an intermittent rotary movement thereto, a presser table located adjacent said support, means for imparting an oscillating movement to said presser table. its movement in one direction 1' "king place simultaneously with the movement of said support and in the same direction therewith, a looping mechanism, clamping means to hold the fab ric upon said presser table operable in connection with said looping mechanism, and a tacking mechanism.

' 10. A machine of the kind described, chmprising a feeding mechanism, a work support comprising a plaiting wheel having a series of pins extending horizontally outward near the periphery of its external vertical face, a presser table located adjacent said wheel and directly beneath said pin, means for imparting an intermittent movement to said wheel, means for imparting an oscillating movement to said table, a looping mechanism, and a tacking mechanism, the radial distance between said table and/said pins from the front rearward to a shoulder thereon being about double'the thickness of the fabric and the radial distance from the edge of said table to the axis of the table rearward from said shoulder being less than the radial distance of said table forward of said shoulder.

11. A machine of the kind described, comprising a feeding mechanism, an intermittently rotating work support, a looping 'mechanism comprising a plunger located a looping mechanism comprising a plunger located above said work support. means for imparting an intermittent movement thereto while said work support is stationary, and a tacking mechanism.

13. A machine of the kind described, comprising a feeding mechanism, a rotary work support, an oscillating presser table located adjacent thereto, a looping mechanism comprising a plunger located above said work support and above the forward end of said presser table when said presser table is in its rearward position, means for imparting movement to said plunger, and a tacking mechanism.

1 1. A machine of the kind described, comprising a feeding mechanism, a rotary work support, an oscillating presser table adjacent thereto, a looping mechanism comprising a plunger located above said work support and said' table and adapted on its downward stroke to loop the fabric uponv the work support, means for imparting an intermittent movement thereto, clamping means operable in connection with said looping means whereby when the plunger is withdrawn the fabric will be held upon the work support, and a tacking mechanism.

15. A machine of the kind described, comprising a work support comprising a plait ing wheel having a series of pins near the periphery of its external vertical face, means for moving said wheel a distance of one pin at a time, a presser table located adjacent said Wheel and beneath said pins, means for moving'said table rearward simultaneously with the movement of said Wheel, a looping mechanism comprising a plunger located above said wheel and above the forward end of said table and adapted on its downward stroke to loop the fabric about one of said pins, means for moving said plunger when the wheel is stationary, clamping means operable to hold the fabric about said pins as said plunger is raised, and a tacking mech-.

anism. I 16. A machine of the kind described comprising a reciprocating tacker, a looping mechanism operable while the tacker is in tacking position, means for holding the fabric during the withdrawal of the looping mechanism, and a reciprocating presser table adapted to engage the loop and press it and the fabric under the tacker.

17. A machine of the kind described, comprising a feeding mechanism, a work holder, a looping mechanism. a presser table located adjacent said work holder, a tacking mechanism comprising a tacking member having a concave lower surface to cooperate with said presser table. said tacking member also being provided with teeth to engage the fabric.

18. A machine of the kind described. comprising a work holder, means for imparting comprising a guide table,-a work l1older comprising a plaiting wheel having a series of horizontal pins extending outwardly near the periphery of the external vertical face, means for moving said wheel intermittently,-

a presser table located adjacent thereto and beneath said pins, means for imparting a simultaneous rearward movement thereto, a looping mechanism comprising a plunger located above said wheel and above the f0rward end of said table and adapted on its downward stroke to loop the fabric about said pins, means for moving said plunger when said wheel is stationary, a clamping member operable relatively therewith to hold the;fabric on said table about said pins as said plunger is raised, means for moving -said clamping member in a manner corresponding to the movement of said plunger, a tacking mechanism mounted above said wheel and said table and adapted to press the fabric to fasten it in a plaited condition after the operation of said plunger, and means for moving said tacking mechanism.

20. A machine of the kind described comprising a reciprocating presser table, a reciprocatmg tacker adapted to press the fabric against said table, a looper adapted to engage the fabric and draw it from the source of supply to form a loop, means for holding the fabric during the withdrawal of the looper, and means for carrying the loop under the tacker while said tacker is in a position out of engagement with said fabric.

ARTHUR J. WILLS. 

